Clothes-line holder.



S. M. HARRISON & W. E. SMITH.

CLOTHES LINE HOLDER.

APPLICATION rxLnn JULY 26, 191a.

1,107,786. Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

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UNITE STATES PATENT @FFTCEL SAMUEL M. HARRISON AND WILLIAM E. SMITH, OFCHESTER, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO'FRANGIS R. HARRISON,OF EAST LIVER-POOL,

OHIO.

CLOTHES-LINE HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1.8, 1914.

Application filed July 28, 1913. Serial NO. 731,405.

which the following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawlngs.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes line holders, and anobject thereof is the provision of a device of this character which isadapted to be secured to a wall, fence, or other like stationarysupport, to securely hold the end of a clothes line, after the line hasbeen tightened.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a clothes lineholder which is extremely simple and eflicient in use, and whichcomprises a minimum number of parts, whereby it may be cheaplymanufactured.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the appended claims,and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a frontelevation of the holder; Fig. 2 is a side elevation. thereof; Fig. 3 isa transverse section, showingthe manner of connecting the lever to thesupporting plate; Fig. 4: is a transverse section, showing the manner ofconnecting the clamp to the lever; and Fig. 5 is an elevation showingthe inner face of the clamp.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the letter A designates aclothes line and B our improved clothes line holder, the clothes lineholder comprises a supporting plate 1 which is provided with a pluralityof openings for the reception of fastening means by which the device maybe secured to a wall, fence, or other stationary support. The supportingplate is provided intermediate of its ends with a pair of outwardlyextending spaced apertured ears 2 in which a pin or shaft 3 is mounted.

The numeral 4 designates a lever which is of substantially the samelength as the sup porting plate 1, the opposite longitudinal edges ofthe lever being bent or curved in- Wardly as at 5, to form a channel forthe clothes line A, and the iii-turned edges of the lover being providedintermediate of their ends with a pair of inwardly extending hook-shapedprojections (S by means of which the lever is detachably and pivotallymounted upon the shaft 3 of the supporting plate. The upper end of thelever 4: is curved outwardly and flared as at 7, the side edges of thelever at its flared portion being curved as at 8.

A clamp 9 is connected to the lower end of the lever i, the clamp havinga pair of outwardly extending apcrtured cars 10 which are pivotallymounted on a pin 11 which extends between the bent side edges of thelever 4. The inner face of the clamp is provided with a longitudinalgroove 12, and the clamp at its upper end is formed with a transverselyextending slot 13 which traverses the groove 12 at its upper end, thewalls 1% of the slot forming fulcrum points for engagement with theouter face of the supporting plate 1. The clamp 12 is also provided witha downwardly extending curved handle 15 by means of which the clamp maybe operated to release the clothes line.

In the practical use of our device, the free end of the clothes line Ais passed over the top of the lever 4 between the bent side edgesthereof, and thence downwardly between the pin or shaft 3 and thesupporting plate 1, the extremity of the clothes line being passedbetween the lower end of the supporting plate and the clamp 9. Theextremity of the clothes line is pulled to draw the line tight, and uponrelease of the extremity of the line, the tension of the line properwill move the upper end of the lever outwardly, thereby rotating thelever on the pivot pin 3, and moving the lower end of the lever inwardlyto force the clamp toward the supporting plate 1 thereby frictionallyengaging the line between the clamp and the supporting plate. The groove12 is of relatively less depth than the diameter of the line,

so that the line is prevented from slipping through the groove, and whenit is desired to release the line from engagement with the holder, thehandle 15 of the clamp is moved outwardly, thereby moving the bodyportion of the clamp upon its fulcrum points 14: away from thesupporting plate, so that the line may pass upwardly through the slot 18which is of relatively greater depth than the diameter of the line. Itwill be seen that by bending the opposite longitudinal edges of thelever 4 inwardly, a channel is formed whereby side slipping of the lineis prevented, and by flaring the upper portion of the lever and rollingthe opposite longitudinal edges of the flared portion of the lever, theline may be inserted into the channel from any angle, and Will beprevented from slipping off of the lever by reason of the rolled edgesthereof.

The holder may be constructed of cast iron, sheet steel or any othersuitable material, and may be made any desired size de pending upon thediameter of the clothes line used in connection therewith.

Vhat We claim is:

1. A clothes line holder including a pivotally mounted clamp having alongitudinal groove formed in its inner face and said clamp beingfurther provided at one end with a transversely extending slot whichtraverses said longitudinal groove, said slot extending from the frontto the rear of said clainp, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A clothes line holder comprising a supporting plate having a pair ofoutwardly extending apertured ears intermediate of its ends, a shaftconnecting said ears, a lever pivotally connected intermediate of itsends to said shaft, and a clamp pivotally connected to said lever at oneend thereof, the inner face of said clamp having a longitudinal grooveformed therein, said clamp having a transversely extending slot formedin one end thereof, said slot traversing said longi tudinal groove, asand for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof We hereunto aflix our signatures in the presence oftWo Witnesses.

SAMUEL M. HARRISON. WILLIAM E. SMITH. Witnesses:

JOHN F. EVARTS, JOSEPH E. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

